artist statement
“We lie on the earth;
to keep from falling into the stars we reach
as wide as we can and hold onto the grass.”
from East of Broken Top
by William Stafford 1914-1993
Born out of a love for hitting open country roads or crowded city streets sketchbook in hand, this watercolor series features original paintings that capture popular northwest imagery: the aesthetic experience of our coastline, state and national parks, farm fields, pub art, garden art, this beautiful atmospheric landscape. Most of my art has a poem or narrative that came to mind as I retrace the path that became our home twenty years ago.
Prior to moving to the northwest I spent my life in Arizona; the cool rain here is a welcome respite from the intense desert heat which has a beauty of its own. I earned my doctorate in literature from Arizona State University, and I have been teaching ever since. My first group of students dubbed me “Doc Savage” and in spite of the contrast between the 1930s swashbuckling hero and my unassuming self, the name stuck.
I began keeping a field journal in the summer of 2016; I have painted consistently since. During the pandemic, I would go on long drives to seemingly nowhere and paint the changing seasons in silent fields. I have very few of those paintings left and it feels like a lifetime ago. Currently, I am a participating artist in the Art Harvest Studio Tour. I have been a featured artist at the Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City, Oregon, the Chehalem Cultural Center, the Plein Air Lavender Paint Out, Artists of Yamhill County exhibits, Domaine Divio, Björnson Vineyard, Illahe, and others. My paintings are currently on exhibit at The Velvet Monkey Teashop in McMinnville, OR, the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Trellis Bistro, in Dundee, OR.
I offer occasional spring and summer in person watercolor field journal workshops. (Please contact me for more information.)
​
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Wishing you peace and love as we hold tight to this earth “to keep from falling into the stars.”
​
kerriesavageart.com
kerrie.l.savage@gmail.com
@kerriesavageartist
